California

(1) Where people have no use for people.

Being from supposedly "rude" New England myself, after 20 years I still continually hear stunned CA natives who find folks elsewhere really do say "hi" on the street, talk to and even help strangers, lest remember them.

Granted the weather and nature (and I don't mean the women) here are unparalled. Yet other states have "distractions"; so why is this?

(a) Size and diversity.
(b) Not enough fires and 'quakes to bring people together.
(c) Gang-inspired fear of literally everyone else.
(d) Hollywood materialism.
(e) An I'm-here-for-my-dream, whatever that is, mentality.

This phenom is especially So-Cal.

(2) A culture without culture.

Unless culture means a surfboard or evangelism. Applies mostly to So Cal - for however gay and liberal, No Cal'ers, like New Englanders, take pride in local history, and do go to their hub city to enjoy it. L.A. also has history, museums, etc., but is worth the traffic and possibly a bullet? Most dont' think so or care to know.

(3) A great place to visit; a better one to leave. And it's not all Sacramento's fault. The baby-boomers and Prop 13ers said NIMBY to lower-cost housing before, knowing clutter and our crop-growing Mexicans lower property values. Many of their Young and Restless from a pathetic school system are now trying to keep up with the Joneses, buying SUVs and marrying real estate at the cost of family and sanity. The old, disabled, and clued-in have little choice but to look elsewhere. As do I.

Life does exist on other planets.

(1) Our local paper no-kidding advertises, "It really is all about YOU." And many who slog between their home, work, and restricted social bubbles really believe it.

(2) At least S.F. had a city festival for Y2K. All L.A. did while the world went nuts was light up the Hollywood sign, with people collecting water and canned goods in case the banks went down.

(3) Rents for studio to 2 BD: $900 to $1200 along the beach, which realtors and landlords have defined as the entire coast from S.F. to Tijuana and an hour inland. This is second year in a row that despite growth from within, more people have left California than arrived.

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